Marking a triumphant reunion between director Antoine Fuqua and star Denzel Washington, more than a dozen years following their collaboration on “Training Day” (2001), which netted Washington an Oscar. “The Equalizer” proves to have been the perfect movie to rekindle their filmmaking friendship, as it is one of the best action movies in recent memory. The sort that immediately becomes a genre classic. It kicks ass and we have a good time while it is doing it.

Denzel stars as Robert McCall, a seemingly quite average sort of kind. He works at the local “Home Mart”, lives alone, spends his sleepless evenings in a quite little diner, his clean well light place, making his way through the one hundred books that everyone should read. An acquaintance, who calls herself Teri (Chloe Grace Moretz) notices “something lost in his eye”. That is because Robert McCall is not who or what he appears to be.

A widower with OCD who left a troubled past behind as a promise to his dying wife. When Teri, a Russian prostitute, is beaten nearly to death by Russian gangsters, Robert reveals his true self and seeks “justice” for her. After taking out the local chapter of the Russian mob, he discovers it is only the beginning of afull out war when reinforcements are dispatched to eliminate him. A task that sounds easier than it is.

A smarter script than expected (by Robert Wenk) based on the mid-1980’s cult TV series starring Edward Woodward (The Wicker Man)., benefits from a great lead character and it’s wise and unexpected use of literary references. When the movie starts McCall is reading Hemingway’s “The Old Man and the Sea” and foretells a link to both the novel and his own story when summarizing the story as being about an old man who encounters his greatest adversary after he thought that part of his life was over. There are other, some less overt literary references used through out.

Washington brings an effortless likeability and charm to the role, even with the ambiguous nature of the character. McCall, the avid reader equates himself to “Don Quixote” as a “knight in a world where knight’s don’t exist anymore”. More like a modern day gunfighter, McCall is highly reminisce of Alan Ladd’s “Shane” (1953). Washington is both a great actor and a wonderful movie star, he even manages to make us forgive the umpteenth slow-mo walk away from a fire ball scene, of which I had my fill a decade or so ago. Denzel is just cool when playing tough and kicking ass.

As for director Fuqua, he is one of the better action directors around today, after a sketchy start with the John Woo produced Imation picture “The Replacement Killers” (1998), Fuqua has followed with a string of admirable efforts including the Bruce Willis-starrer “Tears of the Sun” (2004) and the recent, “Olympus Has Fallen” (2013), among others. Fuqua knows how to stage an action scene, but what’s more, he knows how to tell a story. Both of these talents manage to be fully utilized in “The Equalizer”, which amounts to be one of his most, if not his most fully realized effort.

“The Equalizer” is told in a dark and gritty manner with a moody nourish philosophical foreboding. Exceptionally well produced with stylish violence and often graphic bloodshed that does not just amount to a series of set pieces. Nice camera angles with plentiful tracking shots courtesy of cinematographer Mauro Fiore, help to establish the bad ass presence of the picture’s protagonist. Also a great use of soundtrack music (by Harry Gregson-Williams) and a few superior songs (including a new one by Eminem) further enhance the film.

“The Equalizer” arrives at a rather predictable and expected conclusion. That being said, the movie still manages enough strengths in it’s great looking production, keen editing and memorable performances and characters. The film keeps it’s momentum going for it’s 132-minute run time. It’s few flaws are easy to take and audiences often forgive a lot worst

This is one of the few TV adaptations that is worth the time, perhaps the best TV to movie since Tommy Lee Jones led the chase for Harrison Ford in “The Fugitive”, way back in 1993. We don’t generally ask for TV to movie adaptations, but this is one time I look foreword to the sequel, which has been announced. Fuqua and Washington are also said to be planning a modern day remake of the beloved Steve McQueen-Charles Bronson western “The Magnificent Seven” (1960). Fuqua teamed with Washington, one of the most appealing of the aging action stars, should have a rather strong cinematic potential. We can hope that there will be other interesting collaborations between the two, even beyond those already mentioned.

One final note, The Equalizer” is interesting as it brings Denzel full circle career-wise, urban legend has it that Denzel made his film debut mugging Charles Bronson in “Death Wish” (1974). He even has an Imdb.com credit for the granddaddy of all urban revenge films. Now, Denzel would appear to be channeling the late Bronson. This I can get behind.

Are you saying that the movie stands great on its own, or are you saying that it captures the spirit of the TV show? I ask this because I was a child of the 1980's, and I watched The Equalizer starring Edward Woodward. To me, the movie is nothing like the TV show. It's a solid standalone action movie, but I felt that it was just called The Equalizer in name only. The TV show was spectacular, and truly ahead of its time.

I agree that Fuqua has come along pretty well as an action director. You mentioned Tears of the Sun. That, to me, is a highly underrated movie. It certainly classifies as one of Bruce Willis' best non-Die Hard roles.

Reply

Andymovieman

12/29/2015 06:13:18

One of 2 good movies that Denzel Washington and antoine fuqua did together. This and training day. I hear that they are doing a remake of the magnificent seven. I hope its good as well as the sequel to the equalizer. Cause denzel has still got it as an action star alongside guys like his costar from philadelphia, Antonio Banderas, Wesley snipes, Sylvester Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Bruce Willis, Mel Gibson, Harrison Ford, kurt Russell, Tommy Lee Jones, chuck Norris, Clint Eastwood, Liam Neeson, keanu reeves, Jean Reno, Ron Perlman, Danny trejo, dolph Lundgren, Jean Claude Van Damme, Peter Weller, rutger Hauer, michael Ironside, etc.

Reply

Leave a Reply.

Author

Shawn Gordon is a film critic and historian, formerly a staff writer for
Movie Zone Magazine, a print and on-line period article. He is a
regular contributor to cinapse.co He has also written for horror.com, midnightplace.com, besthorrormovies.com and the print publication WE BELONG DEAD.